The Pilgrim House inaugurated in Nicaea

On 7 November 2026, in Nicaea (modern-day İznik), Türkiye, the Pilgrim House was inaugurated. The new facility is intended to welcome pilgrims visiting the city and its sites connected with the First Ecumenical Council, held in 325 AD.

The ceremony was presided over by His Excellency Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who was invited for the occasion by the Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul, Bishop Massimiliano Palinuro.

The new facility represents a concrete sign of welcome and care for those wishing to rediscover the memory and spiritual heritage of Nicaea, a place of fundamental importance in the history of the Church and the Christian faith.

Inside the building, a marble plaque blessed by Pope Leo XIV in November 2025, during his Apostolic Journey to Türkiye on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, has been placed.

Local civil authorities also attended the ceremony, including Deputy Governor Arif Karaman and the Mayor of Nicaea, Kağan Mehmet Usta, who expressed their gratitude for the Holy Father's visit.

The Pilgrim House thus aims to become a place of encounter and hospitality, serving pilgrims and all those wishing to explore the historical and spiritual significance of a city that holds a special place in the memory of Christianity.